Russia's Kola plant completes second WANO review

The Kola nuclear power plant in Russia has completed its second peer review with the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO). The review was conducted on 11-15 February by WANO's Moscow Centre.

The WANO team for the Kola plant peer review (Image: Rosatom)

The four Kola units are VVER-440 reactors; 1 and 2 are V-230 models and 3 and 4 are of the V-213 type. Units 1-4 have received licence extensions to 2033, 2029, 2027 and 2039, respectively.

Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom said the peer review assessed progress made at the Kola plant on areas for improvement suggested by a peer review conducted in 2017: organisation and administration; operation, chemistry and engineering support; emergency preparedness; repairs, operating experience and radiation protection.

The peer review team included specialists from Russia and Ukraine and was led by Evgeny Khromovskikh, adviser to WANO's Moscow Centre.

"Kola NPP did a lot of work in preparation for this test and the results are clear. We are convinced that everything that has been done at the nuclear power plant is the result of a systematic approach to work that was well-planned and organised," Khromovskikh said. The plant is "on the right track" in developing and maintaining the reliable and safe operation of its units, he added.

The review team monitored operation of the plant, conducted interviews with managers and staff and analysed documentation. Following their audit, a report will be prepared and passed on to the plant’s management.

Kola NPP is a branch of Rosenergoatom, Rosatom's operator subsidiary. The plant is located 200 km south of Murmansk, on the shore of Lake Imandra. It produces about 60% of the electricity of the Murmansk region.

WANO is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation, which promotes the sharing of operational experience so that its members can work together to achieve the highest level of safety and reliability. The London-headquartered organisation works independently of government and regulatory agencies and solely on behalf of and in the interests of its members - nuclear power plant operators.